to have been so stupid for sooo long!

[tactum]

Doh!!!

I have just had a revelation! Wearing the right size jeans makes you look better than wearing the size smaller!!!! I am, I accept a size 16. Just bought my first pair of size 16s after 10 years of trying to convince myself I'm a 14.

Guess what? I look miles better. I actually look slimmer as there aren't (as many) rolls of fat bursting out over the top. And my bum and my legs look better too. And perhaps most importantly I can breather and will be able to eat!!

Obviously the idea is to get back into the 14s but only when they fit PROPERLY! Goiing out tonight and feeling better than I normally would.

Denial is pointless and stupid. Ladies, try it!!!!!!

[Justmadeperfectflapjacks]

Totally agree!!
Bought a 12 after a lifetime of 8/10 and felt quite nice in them instead of worrying about muffin tops!!

[NotHotDogMum]

Totally agree, I relented and bought the next size up, I look a size smaller now!

I discovered TU jeans after reading about them on MN, so flattering! I'm waiting for the next 25% off and getting one in every colour!

[SheepyFun]

Another one in size 16 clothes here! I'm really glad I had my wedding dress made to fit me as I was rather than someone a stone lighter. That really wouldn't have been a good look.

[MusicalChairsOh]

It also works the opposite was round too, I have been wearing 16s for a long time and tried on a 14 as they were the last size in the sale and they fit so well I've bought loads more in 14s too. Never thought I was a 14.

[tactum]

Musicalchairs - hopefully I'll be doing that in 8 weeks!!

[Jupitar]

That all very well until two months later you find yourself wondering if you now need the next size up 😳

[LemonRedwood]

I am still so thankful for a colleague I worked with at Next many, many years ago. When trying on stuff for uniform, I was squeezing my boots into size 10 tops and shirts because that's what fit properly round my waist (those were the days!) and she made me try on a 14. The difference was amazing!
I now generally ignore labels. My wedding dress was a size 20 off the peg to accomodate my top half (I had it altered to fit waist and hips). Women's clothes sizes are a joke in general though. Even stuff that's measured in inches - the number of inches printed on the waistband never matches to number of inches of material!

[LemonRedwood]

Not boots, boobs.

Squeezing boots into a shirt would have been weird!

[monkeyfacegrace]

Tell me more about these TU jeans....

[NotHotDogMum]

@monkeyfacegrace

Try them on next time you're in Sainsbury's, you'll be delighted!

[Poisongirl81]

I've just got some £12 elasticated waist jegginfs from asda how comfy. Size 14 instead of squeezing into a 12 and hating wearing jeans

[greeeen]

TU jeans are great and I find they are about a size bigger than most other shops anyway so you can still wear the small size. I'm a size 8 TU 10 everywhere else, I always feel extra slim wearing them!

[Mrsglitterfairy]

I've finally accepted that I need to wear a 16 and agree that I look so much better in them than my 14s. And as DH says to me only you know what's on the label but everyone can see if they're too tight. And it's dead true

[DontOpenDeadInside]

I'm the same as Musical I've low self esteem and would always buy the 16, then hate the way the tops were always too low. Tried a 14 on and low and behold perfect fit. Dresses however still need to be a 16 for some reason

[RimJob]

So true OP. It's psychologically comforting, just like numbers on the scales. It's so bizarre that we choose to be uncomfortable just for the sake of a lower number on the label!

[LynetteScavo]

Oh, this is the reason so many people wear ill fitting clothes?

I always wondered what the thought process was.

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

Agreed! I've lost 30 something lbs since January but only just needed to go down a trouser size as I had obviously been squeezing into the wrong size for ages.

[FatGirlWithChocolate]

Went through this with my DH for many, many years..he would insist on buying trousers that were too small for him because they were the size that used to fit, and then complain when the zip bust or the button popped. It was a great relief when he finally gave in and bought a bigger size..and a darn sight cheaper too.

[EllieMentry]

I was a teenager in the 70s and we used to buy the smallest jeans we could get away with, then lie on the floor, hook a coathanger into the zip pull and get a friend to help do up the zip.

So it's been going on for a long time.

Mind you, that was before so many clothes (including jeans) were made from fabrics with stretch in them. I think the stretch factor is partly responsible for people squeezing into even smaller clothes in relation to their size now.